1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the art of separating the fuel gasoline into light and heavy ends, or components, just prior to ignition in order to take advantage of the more volatile characteristics of the light components to aid in the complete ignition of the heavier components, thus resulting in more efficient use of the fuel and greater miles per gallon for the vehicle. A result of this is fuel economy and cleaner exhaust emission.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Gasoline is made up of hydrogen and carbon atoms combined into various kinds of molecules called hydrocarbons. The liquid hydrocarbons commonly used to produce gasoline have from 4 to 12 carbon atoms in each molecule and vaporize, or boil, at temperatures from approximately 100.degree. F. (37.78.degree. C.) to 400.degree. F. (204.44.degree. C.). Each one of these molecules has different qualities and characteristics with regard to the speed and temperature at which it will ignite and burn in a cylinder of an internal combustion engine.
It is generally known that the lighter components of gasoline ingite more readily than the heavier components. Example of apparatus proposed to take advantage of the lighter components during start up of an internal combustion engine can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,783,841, issued Jan. 8, 1974, to D. A. Hirschler, Jr., et al., which derives more volatile hydrocarbons from normal gasoline for use during start up of an internal combustion engine by vaporizing and subsequently reliquidifying the fuel.
It is also known in order to increase the efficiency or reliability of internal combustion engines to cool a fuel, such as gasoline, entering the carburetor of an internal combustion engine in order to prevent vapor lock in the fuel system of the engine. This cooling, however, is merely to prevent overheating of the fuel. Examples of cooling devices which prevent vapor lock in carburetors of internal combustion engines can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,953,809, issued Apr. 3, 1934, to C. H. Kenneweb, and 3,593,694, issued July 30, 1971, to S. G. Hilborn.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,882,692, issued May 13, 1975, to T. Watanabe, et al., discloses a fuel cooling device which employs water accumulated in a reservoir supplied by water draining from the coils of a refrigerant evaporator. Like the vapor lock preventing patents discussed above, however, the cooling device of this patent is intended only to offset the heat added to the fuel in the fuel tank of the vehicle due to the presences of a catalytic converter in the area of the fuel tank.
Other patents which disclose apparatuses for improving the efficiency of operation of an internal combustion engine including the modification of a hydrocarbon fuel, are as follows:
U.S. Pat. Nos:
1,561,738 -- Nov. 17, 1925 -- R. Miller PA1 2,231,525 -- Feb. 11, 1941 -- A. Breitling PA1 2,253,717 -- Aug. 26, 1941 -- B. McInnerney PA1 2,748,758 -- June 5, 1956 -- E. A. Fairbanks PA1 3,817,273 -- June 18, 1974 -- C. L. Erwin, Jr.